Autumn Leaves • Quilt Finish

“When all that cautions the eyes toward the imminent
slide of autumn to arctic winds, the canopy of English elm
and sycamore leaves like colored coins fall and widen
a hole letting more light spill in, heaven’s alms
to earth…”
~from the poem “Washington Square,” by Major Jackson

And Denise Levertov’s poem asks Autumn: “can you pull me / into December?”

But wait, Denise. I’d like to stay here awhile, and enjoy the recent fall color all squeezed into this quilt:

*Autumn Leaves* • Quilt #269 • 50″ square

This was a group effort from Gridster Bee, a collaboration, much like when the forests in winter climates all talk to each other: “You do red this year,” says one. “I’ll do gold and brown. How about you do crimson?” and so on until the forest is “liked colored coins” that will eventually fall and widen. While more blocks than shown arrived, I had to widen the quilt to let that light spill in, so some are saved for another project, letting heaven’s alms fall to earth in more than one spot.

It started with these two, and morphed into a Pattern Lite, which you can grab here for under the price of a slice of pizza or a basket of beignets at our local beignet place. While you are there, don’t forget to snag the SpiderWeb pattern, which is free until the end of October.

Pattern Shop: PayHip.com/opquilt

Last year around this time, I had a different quilt slung on the fence, and was working on two autumn-themed pillows Mr. Pumpkin and Crossed Lillies; seems like working with these colors is an annual festival.

The back, showing all the signatures of my beemates: Patti, Shelley, Bren, Carlene, Laurie, Melanie, Robin, Susan, Carolyn, Ramona, and Meredith. I am so grateful they all contributed. And gosh, I know I’m missing a label (coming soon), and double-gosh, the back almost looks like a Modern Quilt!

Portfolio of Group Quilts

And to honor — and catalogue — all the collaborations I’ve done, I added a new category to My Quilt Index tab, above: Portfolio of Group Quilts. I only have my quilts listed (not the group’s quilt), although I have done posts about the others in the past.

Here’s to roads diverging into yellow woods, and copper woods, and crimson–

8 thoughts on “Autumn Leaves • Quilt Finish”

I LOVE this one, and yes, the back is as beautiful as the front. The colors are so true to me he glorious ones seen in nature in he autumn. I nearly forgot about last year’s pumpkin quilt – one of my favorites of yours.

I love to see collaborations come together. This one is beautiful. And the poems you shared add more meaning. Autumn is my favorite season.

So much beauty here!!!! The quilt turned out beautifully and I almost like the back as much as the front 🙂 I was amazed to read all the bees you have been a part of, most impressive because I know how much of yourself you put into these collaborations. Happy Autumn to the busiest bee I know!

Such a lovely tribute to all the colors of autumn. I love how very colorful it is!

I ADORE this beautiful quilt! Not surprising since fall colors are my favorites. I particularly like the “glowing” effect of the gold backgrounds and border in your quilt and how it highlights the other colors. I also like your setting. I think I’m off to make another autumn themed quilt…😊

Your Autumn Leaves quilt could certainly be a modern one from the back! And my, how it glows with that glorious golden colour! Your enthusiasm and focus when organising and participating in quilt bees is to be congratulated. I am imagining all the quilts made around the world because of you!